AI That Controls Your Mac From Your iPhone
Published 2026-09-26 · Updated 2026-10-05
AI that controls your Mac in Poket PC means Ask: an agent that runs on the computer, uses tools on that Mac, and can keep going after you put the phone away.
How Ask runs today
| Provider | What you need on the Mac |
|---|---|
| Claude subscription | Claude Code installed and signed in. No API key field in Poket PC; it uses your subscription through Claude Code. |
| Local model | Ollama running on the Mac with a model you chose |
Support for adding your own API key in the app is planned; 1.0 has no screen to enter one. The model list in the iPhone app also shows the Claude API and Grok, which work only with a key already set up on the Mac, and it has no option for OpenAI or LM Studio.
What Ask is good for
- Long tasks — Research, file organization, or multi-step workflows that outlast a single phone session.
- While away — Start a task from the iPhone, disconnect, and check back later: when you reconnect, the app catches up on a task that is still running, and History keeps the finished ones.
- With schedules — Have Ask run a task at set times with schedules. Scheduled runs are quiet: no screen and no tool servers. On the Claude subscription, scheduled runs end without an answer in 1.0.
Ask is not a replacement for live screen when you need to click a specific pixel; it is for delegated work on the Mac.
Safety boundaries (high level)
You choose each task’s reach when you submit it: Screen (the default: your screen and your notes), Quiet (your notes only), or Tools (everything set up on the Mac, including any tool that can run commands or send mail). Tools is never the default; once picked, it stays selected until you leave Ask. On the Claude subscription, a Quiet task ends without an answer in 1.0, because Claude Code works from a screenshot. Notes are read-only and limited to one folder, and excluded workspaces are checked before a model is contacted. Read security on prompt injection from content the agent reads.
What the model sees
Ask sends what a task needs to the model you picked. With Claude, your prompts, the agent’s memory, and the screenshots a task takes go to Anthropic under your account and its terms. With Ollama they stay on your Mac. Poket PC does not receive them.
What Ask does not do in 1.0
- Run without a configured provider on the Mac.
- Replace pairing or permissions — the helper still needs Accessibility and Screen Recording for screen and input features.
- Offer accounts or syncing between devices (planned).
Claude Code from the phone
If your goal is specifically Claude Code, see run Claude Code from iPhone and Claude Code app page for how Ask and the live screen fit together.
Get set up
Install the Mac helper, configure Claude Code or Ollama on that Mac, join the public TestFlight iPhone beta while the App Store release is in review, and pair once. Version 1.0 is free with no ads and no in-app purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Can an AI agent control my computer from my phone?
Ask runs on the Mac, not in the cloud alone. You send a task from the iPhone, the agent works on the Mac, and it can continue after you disconnect or on a schedule.
Do I paste an OpenAI or Anthropic API key into Poket PC?
Not in version 1.0. There is no key-entry screen yet. Today Ask uses your Claude subscription through Claude Code on the Mac, or a local model in Ollama. Support for adding your own API key is planned.
Does Ask need the live screen to be open?
No. Ask runs on the Mac whether or not the Screen view is open. The reverse holds too: Screen, Trackpad, Keyboard, and tiles work without any AI provider.
Who pays for model usage?
You pay your own provider. Poket PC does not resell model usage. Claude Code uses your Claude subscription; Ollama uses models you run locally.
Is Ask included in the free app?
The app is free in 1.0 with no ads and no in-app purchases. Your Claude or local compute costs are yours.